newNCLcruiser2010

Our Carnival ship arrives at 7 AM. We have Faster to the Fun so we have Priority tendering. Our Excursion isn't until 9:15. Would there be anything to do around the port from 7 AM - 9 AM? Are shops open or is there anything else to do? I am just wondering if it is even worth it to get off the ship that early.

Thanks!

I don’t think anyone knows for sure, but In the past I was able to book June 18 months out. Probably January they will be out. Im waiting also.

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I just went on Fantasy 2 weeks ago. I had previously been on Carnival Magic (same class as Dream). I thought I would hate it. Actually loved it. We found that we missed somethings like Alchemy bar, movie screen on lido, and the balcony (Fantasy only has balconies in suites), but I would cruise Fantasy again. We loved that it was easy to get around and there weren't as long of lines as there were on Magic. I cruise because I love being on the ocean, Fantasy provided that. We had equal food quality and service as Magic. We met some really nice people. We are trying Dream in June. I would choose Fantasy for the 8 day if it was the same price or less than the Dream 7 day, otherwise, I'd pick Dream mostly for the balcony rooms.

Thank you all so much for the information!

Just wondering if Paradise beach has any rules about bringing in food and drink. We would just be bringing a bottle of water for each of us and maybe a few pre-packaged snacks. We would still be buying drinks and lunch there. Is this allowed? And if not, do they search your bags? Just don't want to get there and have to throw things away.

Thanks!

Has anyone been on the Fantasy out of Mobile lately that can tell me what time the ship got back into port and what time people were cleared to disembark? I have FTTF and I will carry off my own luggage to get off faster. Trying to figure out if we can make it to an event at home that night.

Thanks!

As SadieN said, you will have more space for the scooter if you arrange the beds in an L configuration. Although this is an inside on Fascination, the OV cabin will be just like this, except the window will be real, not fake. When we got to the cabin, it was set up as twins (I travel with my sister). We moved my bed to the other wall to give great space:

 

Before

 

After

 

 

EM

Essiesmom, did you ask the room steward to move the beds like this or did you just do it yourself? I wonder if it's easy just to move them yourself and if they mind if you do this. Thanks.

Does Paradise beach allow you to bring your own bottled water and small packaged snacks in your beach bag? I didn't know if they had any rules as to what you can bring in. Thanks.

How was the ride to the falls? I'm worried about doing that since it's such a long drive and the drivers on the islands usually scare me to death! :)

Also, how long did you get to spend at the beach?

Buy Carnival's Social Media Package. It's like $5 per day and less if you buy it online before your trip. We get this everytime and use it to message family at home through Facebook messager and to message each other on the ship. It works for Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and a few others. When you get on the ship just put your phone on airplane mode and then connect to Carnival's wifi. There is a paper in the cabin that will explain how to get on. Look it up on Carnivals website for more info.

Carnival was supposed to give an update at noon. Has anyone heard anything? I haven't gotten a thing.

I saw Noon Central Time. So still about 30 minutes away. I guess they are waiting until the last minute.

If you are going to drive to Florida, I would take Carnival Magic out of Port Canaveral. It has been my favorite cruise. Loved all the ports. We did Eastern Caribbean to San Juan Puerto Rico, St. Thomas USVI, Grand Turk, and Amber Cove in DR). The Eastern Caribbean islands are much better than the Bahamas IMO.

I regretted it once. But only because I got sick 2 hours after we boarded (I had already had 2 of the funship specials)! I caught some type of bug and didn't feel like drinking for 2 days of a 3 day cruise. Otherwise, we always get Cheers and love it. It's not hard to drink 6 alcoholic drinks and a couple sodas and bottled waters. Plus we love knowing that we have already spent the money and don't worry about the bill at the end.

At this point we have early dining. I am not sure he will love that. He prefers to eat later than the rest of us. Having said that, we are on West Coast time so maybe it'll be okay with the time difference, which I need to find out. If we decide to miss our early dinner time, what are our on ship options for dinner aside from pizza on the deck?

On our last cruise on Carnival Victory we took a nap and accidentally missed our early dining. My DH doesn't like to eat dinner on lido, so I called guest services and they said no problem, just go to late dining in the same dining room. We did and we had no problem getting seated.

Also on The Magic our waiter told us it was fine to come as late as 6:30 for the 6:00 dining. This helped us have time to get ready when we didn't come back from port until 5:30. So there is some leeway.

Great! I hate playing mobile blackjack but that game earn loyal point fastest. Some people I know, they earn so much points from playing mobile blackjack.

Do your gold coins since up with the slot game if you earn them on mobile blackjack?

Make sure you are getting extra keys and not officially switching rooms.

That's what I wanted to know...what would happen if I officially switched rooms after I was on-board? Would that affect the pre-purchased cheers plan making me buy it too? Or would they not know since I would have pre-paid before the cruise while we were still in different rooms?

I know about asking for the extra keys but that thought it would be more convenient not to have to carry around 2 cards.

We just sailed on the Pride and I was booked in a room with my son and my wife with out daughter. We had the balcony opened and I just went in through the kids room to ours because I didn't think of getting extra keys. I had the Cheers and my wife did not. Our kids are 12 and 16 so we had to book rooms that way.

Do we have to book with an adult in each room? Ours are 17 & 14. I read on Carnivals website at that age they could be in a room next to you on their own.

My husband and I and 3 girls are cruising Fantasy in October. We have 2 rooms next to each other. I want to buy Cheers for my husband only. On the booking, I put him and myself in separate rooms so that I will be able to just buy it for him. My question is, when I get on the ship, can I go to guest services and switch myself to his room? Or will they then make me buy Cheers also? I am just wondering if this is a good work around and if anyone has done this successfully?

I have the same issue. I have 2 rooms of 3 booked next to each other. The ship is very full now as we leave in 64 days. 1 person now can't go. The cruise fare isn't that much more for the 3rd person in the room so I'm wondering if I should just let that person be a no show? Has anyone ever done this? I know we will lose the cruise fare portion but does Carnival refund the unused pre-paid gratuity, taxes and port charges?

We bring them in our carry on. We always buy FTTF so our room is ready right away. We put our stuff in the room, go to lunch and then go back to the room and put our suits on. Last cruise on Magic, there was quite a party in the pool area between lunch and the muster drill. It was a blast. Not as many people there as a sea day, but plenty of people there and a dj playing music.

We always get Early or YTD. We like all the comedy shows and you will miss some of those with late. Just an fyi for people talking about being rushed coming back from ports to get to early dining. We thought we couldn't come if it was after 6 but our waiter in the dining room said it was fine to come at 6:30 if we wanted for early seating. That worked out nicely because some ports were 5:30/6:00 on board time.

The best way to use your rewards is pay with your Carnival mastercard all of your expenses (cruise costs and onboard expenses). You will get double points for Carnival purchases. Then when you get home, logon to the Barclaycard website and apply whatever points you have to your carnival purchases. It gives you a statement credit. It gets you a better value that way then getting gift cards with the points.

I always get Cheers so whenever we walk past the coffee shop on the way back to our room we will get Vitamin Water or another bottled drink and put it in our room fridge and take it with us off the ship. They have never opened them at the coffee shop. I haven't ordered them anywhere else.

Would it be better to put the power strip and fan in checked baggage?

I have been on both and liked them both. However I would choose Sky for the ports. Cuba is new and I love Great Stirrup Cay. The Sky has the specialty dining which is nice for your anniversary. Steak house and french restaurant are very good. Also Sky has the included drink package.